A conventional reading apparatus reads information from a wireless tag, such as an RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) tag, that has been attached to an item or article.
In such a reading apparatus, a metal container is used to accommodate the tagged at. A wireless tag reader and an antenna are arranged for reading information from the RFID tag in the container through wireless communication. The reading apparatus includes an antenna drive section, and can change the position of the antenna using the antenna drive section.
The electromagnetic waves radiated from the antenna do not leak to the outside of the metal container of the reading apparatus. With this arrangement, the reading apparatus can at one time read information from several RFID tags attached to different articles stored within the apparatus. On the other hand, the reading apparatus cannot read information from an RFID tag outside of the apparatus.